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Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Hot Wokmaster, Ultimo


Peking duck pancake

"Peking duck for lunch? That's all we're having? Isn't that a little, ah, excessive?" I ask increduously.

"Omigod, you haven't lived! I used to do it all the time. It's fantastic!" comes the reply.

That's disgusting. But okay. You twisted my arm.


Complimentary house soup

We head to Oriental Wokmaster, the Chinese bbq shop I've walked past hundreds of times on Broadway but never ventured in. Whole ducks glisten and strips of barbecue pork beckon from the window. It's surprisingly busy during lunch hour, and I'm somewhat dizzied yet tempted by the array of extra menu options plastered all over the walls on neat rectangles of white butchers paper. The menu is stomach-defying. There are 298 different dishes on the printed menu alone.

Service is brusque and somewhat devoid of English, but two steaming bowls of complimentary house soup more than make amends. It's a sweet broth filled with rustic chunks of carrot and meaty pork bones that demand to be sucked and prodded and nibbled clean.


Green onions and hoi sin sauce

Two courses of Peking duck costs a very affordable $29.80 here. Our Peking duck pancakes take about twenty minutes to arrive, a DIY assembly involving pancakes, crispy duck skin, spiky batons of green onion, a spear of cucumber and a smear of sweet tangy hoi sin sauce.


Pancakes


Peking duck on prawn crackers

There's a fair bit of duck meat attached to the skin. The skin isn't quite as crispy as I've had before, but the duck flesh is moist and juicy albeit somewhat mild in flavour. We gobble down six pancakes each. It's surprisingly easy to do once you get the hang of it.


Duck sang choy bow

Our second dish is a duck sang choy bow. The duck flesh is chopped into tiny cubes and mixed with a fairly generous amount of water chestnuts, fried vermicelli and bits of shiitake mushroom. There's a generous pile within the lettuce leaf, so much so I have to eat two-thirds of the filling with chopsticks before even attempting to bundle up the lettuce leaf.

It's a decadent lunch but thoroughly enjoyed. One dish down, 297 to go.


Hot Wokmaster
157 Broadway, Ultimo, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9281 8366

Open 7 days 11am-11pm

Related GrabYourFork posts:
Ultimo - Bourke Street Bakery
Ultimo - Sunflower Crepe Cafe
Ultimo - Tan's Malaysian
Ultimo - Una's on Broadway
12 comments - Add some comment love

posted by Helen (Grab Your Fork) on 8/28/2007 11:29:00 pm


12 Comments:

  • At 8/29/2007 9:26 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Ah, my local favourite. Well, local to my b/f's place in Chippendale. They do an excellent fried rice with chicken and salted fish. Many a cold night I've gone there for takeaway or eat in feasts. Hmmm wokmaster ....

     
  • At 8/29/2007 9:33 pm, Blogger Chunky Bacon said…

    unrelated-
    is it true that ikizukuri is banned in Australia?

     
  • At 8/29/2007 10:53 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I actually really dislike wokmaster, I went there with during uni for some lunch and the service was so bad and so rude - they refused to let two friends sit there because they only wanted a drink! And the place wasn't even packed. Is that not a crazy thing to do?

     
  • At 8/29/2007 11:30 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    woah, that was unrelated. I don't know if it's banned as such...but i don't think it would be accepted socially. I don't think I could stomach it.

    argh, now I have a peking duck craving. considering the last time i had it was well over 2 years ago...you can imagine how strong that craving is! excellent post AG!

     
  • At 8/30/2007 12:49 am, Blogger thanh7580 said…

    What a coincidence Helen. I had just written a post last week about Peking Duck and how I love it. I don't like to eat any type of duck usually, not even roast duck, but when it is done Peking style, I can't get enough of it. However, I did it at home myself as it is extremely simple to do. I ate ten packets that night and that was my dinner. It works out quite economically too since you don't use up a lot of duck. The flour skin really fills you up.

     
  • At 8/30/2007 9:28 am, Blogger hazchem said…

    bah, now I think i'm going to have to go to Jimmy's in Epping for lunch today and have their duck pancakes.

    Have you given Shalom a try, just a couple of doors down? They have some great Indonesian stuff, in particular a mutton curry that myself and Ms. Pyjamas are addicted to.

     
  • At 8/30/2007 6:08 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Alison - We were really surprised by how busy the place was, and how tasty so many of their dishes looked.

    Hi unablogger - I have yet to encounter it but some google research indicates that yes, apparently so.

    Hi Anon - Good service always works wonders with customers. Bad service leaves a similar long-lasting impression.

    Hi Anon - I don't have Peking duck that often either. Usually it's part of a long banquet meal. Hope you satiate your craving soon :)

    Hi thanh7580 - Ooh I love duck, especially Chinese roast duck with rice. I've never bothered to try making it at home though. I prefer it when the skin is super crispy, usually from being deep-fried.

    Hi hazchem - I've been to Shalom twice actually but never got around to posting about it. I don't think I've tried the mutton curry though. Sounds tasty!

     
  • At 8/30/2007 7:43 pm, Blogger Chunky Bacon said…

    Shalom is just so so.

    I'm ranting here but there definitely is NO good indo restaurant here in Sydney and I'm Indo.

    sigh....

    ps: is there anyway that blogger.com
    can notify me that I have a reply on a comment?

     
  • At 8/31/2007 12:13 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Unablogger - Let me know if you ever do find an Indonesian restaurant that meets your standards :)

    And alas, no, there is no comment email notification available. You'll just have to check back regularly!

     
  • At 8/31/2007 7:01 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I'd been wondering when you'd visit this one! (Hot) Wokmaster is our local favourite too. Workmates have been going every week or two on average for 2.5 years. The menu selection is terrifying but better once you whittle down your favourites! Focus on the 'specials' stuck to the wall - it is a greatest hits selection. For something different and delicious try salt and pepper flounder; eggplant hotpot; or shredded duck stir noodle with pickled veg. The second smaller, handwritten menu (and bottom-most row of 'specials' stuck to the wall) was recently added when a northern chinese chef bought into the business. We really love the new menu and can't stop ordering from it! The pan fried dumplings (dip in the sauce poured from the 'vinegar' container on your table) are sooo yummy and for $6.50 you get 14 of them!!... pork belly in soy is great... spicy chicken with potato... spicy pork sauce on northern noodle.. caramelised sweet potato... just superb! So cheap, and the complimentary soup and tea just rounds off a fun, cheap, experience! Not fine dining but highly recommended for a quick eat for lunch or dinner.

     
  • At 9/01/2007 11:30 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Ali B - Oh my. I think I've just found my order for my next visit. One of each please! I remember thinking the s+p flounder sounded good. Mmm... you're making me hungry!

     
  • At 10/18/2010 9:56 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    the vegetarian laksa is the best thing you will ever eat! and for only $7.50 you will be full for about 3 days!!

     

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